List of governors of Maryland

The governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[1] The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.[2]

List of Governors

  Federalist (8)   Democratic-Republican (9)   Anti-Jacksonian (3)   Jacksonian (1)   Whig (3)   Democratic (29)   Constitutional Union (1)   Republican (9)

Governor[3] Term in office[4] Party Term Previous office[4] Lieutenant governor[5][a]
1   Thomas Johnson
(1732-11-04)November 4, 1732 – (1819-10-26)October 26, 1819
(Aged 86) 		March 21, 1777
–
November 12, 1779
 Independent 1
(1777) 		Continental Congress
(1774–1775) 		None
2
(1778)
2 Thomas Sim Lee
(1745-10-29)October 29, 1745 – (1819-11-09)November 9, 1819
(Aged 74) 		November 12, 1779
–
November 22, 1782
 Independent 3
(1779) 		Governor's Executive Council
(1777–1779)
4
(1780)
5
(1781)
3 William Paca
(1740-10-31)October 31, 1740 – (1799-10-13)October 13, 1799
(Aged 58) 		November 22, 1782
–
November 26, 1785
 Independent 6
(1782) 		Maryland State Senator
(1777–1779)
7
(1783)
8
(1784)
4 William Smallwood
1732 – (1792-02-14)February 14, 1792
(Aged 59–60) 		November 26, 1785
–
November 24, 1788
 Independent 9
(1785) 		Colonel
Continental Army

Maryland State Delegate
(1761–1774)

10
(1786)
11
(1787)
5   John Eager Howard
(1752-06-04)June 4, 1752 – (1827-10-12)October 12, 1827
(Aged 75) 		November 24, 1788
–
November 14, 1791
 Federalist 12
(1788) 		Captain
Continental Army

Continental Congress
(1787–1788)

13
(1789)
14
(1790)
6 George Plater
(1735-11-08)November 8, 1735 – (1792-02-10)February 10, 1792
(Aged 56) 		November 14, 1791
–
February 10, 1792
 Federalist 15
(1791) 		Maryland State Senator
(1777–1790)
James Brice
(1746-08-26)August 26, 1746 – (1801-07-11)July 11, 1801
(Aged 55) 		February 10, 1792
–
April 5, 1792[b] 		Federalist Mayor of Annapolis

(1782–1783; 1787–1788)

2 Thomas Sim Lee
(1745-10-29)October 29, 1745 – (1819-11-09)November 9, 1819
(Aged 74) 		April 5, 1792
–
November 14, 1794
 Federalist 16
(1792) 		Governor of Maryland
(1779–1782)

Continental Congress
(1783–1784)

17
(1793)
7 John Hoskins Stone
1750 – (1804-10-05)October 5, 1804
(Aged 53–54) 		November 14, 1794
–
November 17, 1797
 Federalist 18
(1794) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1790)
19
(1795)
20
(1796)
8   John Henry
November 1750 – (1798-12-16)December 16, 1798
(Aged 48) 		November 17, 1797
–
November 14, 1798
 Democratic-Republican 21
(1797) 		Maryland State Senator
(1789–1797)
9   Benjamin Ogle
(1749-01-27)January 27, 1749 – (1809-07-07)July 7, 1809
(Aged 60) 		November 14, 1798
–
November 10, 1801
 Federalist 22
(1798) 		None
23
(1799)
24
(1800)
10   John F. Mercer
(1759-05-17)May 17, 1759 – (1821-07-30)July 30, 1821
(Aged 62) 		November 10, 1801
–
November 13, 1803
 Democratic-Republican 25
(1801) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1793–1794)
26
(1802)
11 Robert Bowie
March 1750 – (1818-01-08)January 8, 1818
(Aged 67) 		November 15, 1803
–
November 10, 1806
 Democratic-Republican 27
(1803) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1801–1803)
28
(1804)
29
(1805)
12 Robert Wright
(1752-11-20)November 20, 1752 – (1826-09-07)September 7, 1826
(Aged 73) 		November 12, 1806
–
June 9, 1809
 Democratic-Republican 30
(1806) 		U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1801–1806)
31
(1807)
32
(1808)
13 Edward Lloyd V
(1779-07-22)July 22, 1779 – (1834-06-02)June 2, 1834
(Aged 54) 		June 9, 1809
–
November 16, 1811
 Democratic-Republican 33
(1809) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1800–1805)
34
(1810)
14   Levin Winder
(1757-09-04)September 4, 1757 – (1819-07-01)July 1, 1819
(Aged 61) 		November 25, 1812
–
January 2, 1816
 Federalist 36
(1812) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1806–1809)
37
(1813)
38
(1814)
15 Charles Carnan Ridgely
(1760-12-06)December 6, 1760 – (1829-07-17)July 17, 1829
(Aged 68) 		January 2, 1816
–
January 8, 1819
 Federalist 39
(1816) 		Maryland State Senator
(1796–1800)
40
(1817)
41
(1818)
16 Charles Goldsborough
(1765-07-15)July 15, 1765 – (1834-12-13)December 13, 1834
(Aged 69) 		January 8, 1819
–
December 20, 1819
 Federalist 42
(1819) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 8th
(1805–1817)
17   Samuel Sprigg
1783 – (1855-04-21)April 21, 1855
(Aged 71–72) 		December 20, 1819
–
December 16, 1822
 Democratic-Republican 43
(1819) 		None
44
(1820)
45
(1821)
18 Samuel Stevens Jr.
(1778-07-13)July 13, 1778 – (1860-02-07)February 7, 1860
(Aged 81) 		December 16, 1822
–
January 9, 1826
 Democratic-Republican 46
(1822) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
47
(1823)
48
(1824)
19 Joseph Kent
(1779-01-14)January 14, 1779 – (1837-11-24)November 24, 1837
(Aged 58) 		January 9, 1826
–
January 15, 1829
 Democratic-Republican 49
(1826) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1819–1826)
50
(1827)
51
(1828)
20   Daniel Martin
December 1780 – (1831-07-11)July 11, 1831
(Aged 50) 		January 15, 1829
–
January 15, 1830
 Anti-Jacksonian 52
(1829) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
21   Thomas King Carroll
(1793-04-29)April 29, 1793 – (1873-10-03)October 3, 1873
(Aged 80) 		January 15, 1830
–
January 13, 1831
 Jacksonian 53
(1830) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1816–1817)
20   Daniel Martin
December 1780 – (1831-07-11)July 11, 1831
(Aged 50) 		January 13, 1831
–
July 11, 1831
 Anti-Jacksonian 54
(1831) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
22 George Howard
(1789-11-21)November 21, 1789 – (1846-08-02)August 2, 1846
(Aged 56) 		July 11, 1831
–
January 17, 1833
 Anti-Jacksonian None
55
(1832)
23   James Thomas
(1785-03-11)March 11, 1785 – (1845-12-25)December 25, 1845
(Aged 60) 		January 17, 1833
–
January 14, 1836
 Whig 56
(1833) 		Maryland State Senator
(1826–1831)
57
(1834)
58
(1835)
24 Thomas Veazey
(1774-01-31)January 31, 1774 – (1842-07-01)July 1, 1842
(Aged 68) 		January 14, 1836
–
January 7, 1839
 Whig 59
(1836) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1811–1812)
60
(1837)
61
(1838)
25   William Grason
(1788-03-11)March 11, 1788 – (1868-07-02)July 2, 1868
(Aged 80) 		January 7, 1839
–
January 3, 1842
[c] 		Democratic 62
(1838) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1837)
26 Francis Thomas
(1799-02-03)February 3, 1799 – (1876-01-22)January 22, 1876
(Aged 76) 		January 3, 1842
–
January 6, 1845
 Democratic 63
(1841) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 6th
(1835–1841)
27   Thomas Pratt
(1804-02-18)February 18, 1804 – (1869-11-09)November 9, 1869
(Aged 65) 		January 6, 1845
–
January 3, 1848
 Whig 64
(1844) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1832–1835)
28   Philip F. Thomas
(1810-09-12)September 12, 1810 – (1890-10-02)October 2, 1890
(Aged 80) 		January 3, 1848
–
January 6, 1851
 Democratic 65
(1847) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 1st
(1839–1841)
29 Enoch Lowe
(1820-08-10)August 10, 1820 – (1892-08-23)August 23, 1892
(Aged 72) 		January 6, 1851
–
January 11, 1854
 Democratic 66
(1850) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1845)
30 Thomas Watkins Ligon
(1810-05-10)May 10, 1810 – (1881-01-12)January 12, 1881
(Aged 70) 		January 11, 1854
–
January 13, 1858
 Democratic 67
(1853) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 3rd
(1845–1849)
31   Thomas H. Hicks
(1798-09-02)September 2, 1798 – (1865-02-14)February 14, 1865
(Aged 66) 		January 13, 1858
–
January 8, 1862
 Constitutional Union 68
(1857) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1830–1836)
32   Augustus Bradford
(1806-01-09)January 9, 1806 – (1881-03-01)March 1, 1881
(Aged 75) 		January 8, 1862
–
January 10, 1866
 Republican N/A Baltimore County Clerk of Courts
(1845–1851)
33 Thomas Swann
(1809-03-03)March 3, 1809 – (1883-07-24)July 24, 1883
(Aged 74) 		January 10, 1866
–
January 13, 1869
 Republican Mayor of Baltimore
(1856–1860) 		  Christopher C. Cox[d]
34   Oden Bowie
(1826-11-10)November 10, 1826 – (1894-12-04)December 4, 1894
(Aged 68) 		January 13, 1869
–
January 10, 1872
 Democratic 69
(1867) 		Maryland State Senator
(1867–1869) 		None
35 William Pinkney Whyte
(1824-08-09)August 9, 1824 – (1908-03-17)March 17, 1908
(Aged 83) 		January 10, 1872
–
March 4, 1874
 Democratic 70
(1871) 		U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1868–1869)
36 James Black Groome
(1838-04-04)April 4, 1838 – (1893-10-05)October 5, 1893
(Aged 55) 		March 4, 1874
–
January 12, 1876
Democratic Maryland State Delegate
(1872–1874)
37 John Lee Carroll
(1830-09-30)September 30, 1830 – (1911-02-27)February 27, 1911
(Aged 80) 		January 12, 1876
–
January 14, 1880
 Democratic 71
(1875) 		Maryland State Senator
(1867–1876)
38 William T. Hamilton
(1820-09-08)September 8, 1820 – (1888-10-26)October 26, 1888
(Aged 68) 		January 14, 1880
–
January 9, 1884
 Democratic 72
(1879) 		U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1869–1875)
39 Robert Milligan McLane
(1815-06-23)June 23, 1815 – (1898-04-16)April 16, 1898
(Aged 82) 		January 9, 1884
–
March 27, 1885
 Democratic 73
(1883) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 4th
(1879–1883)
40 Henry Lloyd
(1852-02-21)February 21, 1852 – (1920-12-20)December 20, 1920
(Aged 68) 		March 27, 1885
–
January 11, 1888
 Democratic Maryland State Senator
(1882–1885)
41 Elihu Emory Jackson
(1837-11-03)November 3, 1837 – (1907-12-27)December 27, 1907
(Aged 70) 		January 11, 1888
–
January 13, 1892
 Democratic 74
(1887) 		Maryland State Senator
(1884–1886)
42 Frank Brown
(1846-08-08)August 8, 1846 – (1920-02-03)February 3, 1920
(Aged 73) 		January 13, 1892
–
January 8, 1896
 Democratic 75
(1891) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1876–1878)
43   Lloyd Lowndes Jr.
(1845-02-21)February 21, 1845 – (1905-01-08)January 8, 1905
(Aged 59) 		January 8, 1896
–
January 10, 1900
 Republican 76
(1895) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 6th
(1873–1875)
44   John W. Smith
(1845-02-05)February 5, 1845 – (1925-04-19)April 19, 1925
(Aged 80) 		January 10, 1900
–
January 13, 1904
 Democratic 77
(1899) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 1st
(1899–1900)
45 Edwin Warfield
(1848-05-07)May 7, 1848 – (1920-03-31)March 31, 1920
(Aged 71) 		January 13, 1904
–
January 8, 1908
 Democratic 78
(1903) 		Maryland State Senator
(1881–1887)
46 Austin Lane Crothers
(1860-05-17)May 17, 1860 – (1912-05-25)May 25, 1912
(Aged 52) 		January 8, 1908
–
January 10, 1912
 Democratic 79
(1907) 		Maryland State Delegate
(1897–1900)
47   Phillips Lee Goldsborough
(1865-08-06)August 6, 1865 – (1946-10-22)October 22, 1946
(Aged 81) 		January 10, 1912
–
January 12, 1916
 Republican 80
(1911) 		Comptroller of Maryland
(1898–1900)
48   Emerson Harrington
(1864-03-26)March 26, 1864 – (1945-12-15)December 15, 1945
(Aged 81) 		January 12, 1916
–
January 14, 1920
 Democratic 81
(1915) 		Comptroller of Maryland
(1912–1916)
49 Albert Ritchie
(1876-08-29)August 29, 1876 – (1936-02-24)February 24, 1936
(Aged 59) 		January 14, 1920
–
January 9, 1935
 Democratic 82
(1919) 		Attorney General of Maryland
(1915–1919)
83
(1923)
84
(1926)
85
(1930)
50   Harry Nice
(1877-12-05)December 5, 1877 – (1941-02-25)February 25, 1941
(Aged 63) 		January 9, 1935
–
January 11, 1939
 Republican 86
(1934) 		Baltimore City Alderman
(1903–1905)
51   Herbert O'Conor
(1896-11-17)November 17, 1896 – (1960-03-04)March 4, 1960
(Aged 63) 		January 11, 1939
–
January 3, 1947
 Democratic 87
(1938) 		Attorney General of Maryland
(1935–1939)
88
(1942)
52 William Preston Lane Jr.
(1892-05-12)May 12, 1892 – (1967-02-07)February 7, 1967
(Aged 74) 		January 3, 1947
–
January 10, 1951
 Democratic 89
(1946) 		Attorney General of Maryland
(1930–1934)
53   Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin
(1900-11-20)November 20, 1900 – (1974-08-10)August 10, 1974
(Aged 73) 		January 10, 1951
–
January 14, 1959
 Republican 90
(1950) 		Mayor of Baltimore
(1943–1947)
91
(1954)
54   John Millard Tawes
(1894-04-08)April 8, 1894 – (1979-06-25)June 25, 1979
(Aged 85) 		January 14, 1959
–
January 25, 1967
 Democratic 92
(1958) 		Comptroller of Maryland
(1950–1959)
93
(1962)
55   Spiro T. Agnew
(1918-11-09)November 9, 1918 – (1996-09-17)September 17, 1996
(Aged 77) 		January 25, 1967
–
January 7, 1969
 Republican 94
(1966) 		Baltimore County Executive
(1962–1966)
56   Marvin Mandel
(1920-04-19)April 19, 1920 – (2015-08-30)August 30, 2015
(Aged 95) 		January 7, 1969
–
January 17, 1979
 Democratic 95
(1969)[e] 		Speaker of the Maryland
House of Delegates
(1964–1969) 		  Blair Lee III
96
(1970)
97
(1974)
Blair Lee III
(1916-05-19)May 19, 1916 – (1985-10-25)October 25, 1985
(Aged 69) 		June 4, 1977
–
January 15, 1979[f] 		Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
(1971–1979) 		Blair Lee III

(Continued to serve as

Lieutenant Governor

while Acting Governor)

57 Harry Hughes
(1926-11-13)November 13, 1926 – (2019-03-13)March 13, 2019
(Aged 92) 		January 17, 1979
–
January 20, 1987
 Democratic 98
(1978) 		Maryland State Senator
(1959–1971) 		Samuel Bogley
99
(1982) 		J. Joseph Curran Jr.
58 William Donald Schaefer
(1921-11-02)November 2, 1921 – (2011-04-18)April 18, 2011
(Aged 89) 		January 20, 1987
–
January 18, 1995
 Democratic 100
(1986) 		Mayor of Baltimore
(1971–1987) 		Melvin Steinberg
101
(1990)
59 Parris N. Glendening
(1942-06-11)June 11, 1942
(Age 82) 		January 18, 1995
–
January 15, 2003
 Democratic 102
(1994) 		Prince George's County Executive
(1983–1994) 		Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
103
(1998)
60   Robert (Bob) Ehrlich Jr.
(1957-11-25)November 25, 1957
(Age 67) 		January 15, 2003
–
January 17, 2007
 Republican 104
(2002) 		U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1995–2003) 		  Michael Steele
61   Martin O'Malley
(1963-01-18)January 18, 1963
(Age 61) 		January 17, 2007
–
January 21, 2015
 Democratic 105
(2006) 		Mayor of Baltimore
(1999–2007) 		  Anthony G. Brown
106
(2010)
62   Lawrence (Larry) Hogan Jr.
(1956-05-25)May 25, 1956
(Age 68) 		January 21, 2015
–
January 18, 2023
 Republican 107
(2014) 		Maryland Secretary of Appointments
(2003–2007) 		  Boyd Rutherford
108
(2018)
63   Westley (Wes) Moore
(1978-10-15)October 15, 1978
(Age 46) 		January 18, 2023
–
Incumbent
 Democratic 109
(2022) 		CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation
(2017–2021) 		  Aruna Miller
  1. ↑ Maryland did not have a Lieutenant Governor until 1864; the office was abolished in 1867 and re-established in 1970.[6][7]
  2. ↑ Served as Acting Governor following the death of Governor George Plater.[8]
  3. ↑ First directly-elected Governor of Maryland.[9]
  4. ↑ The office of Lieutenant Governor was created under the Constitution of 1864, but abolished in 1867.[10]
  5. ↑ Elected by the Maryland General Assembly to fill the vacancy left by Spiro Agnew's resignation, following his election to the U.S. vice presidency. Mandel was elected to a full term in 1970.[11]
  6. ↑ Served as Acting Governor after Governor Marvin Mandel ran into legal problems and transferred over the powers of Governor to Blair Lee. Governor Mandel rescinded his appointment two days before the term ended.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Maryland Governor – Origin & Functions". Maryland Manual Online. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  2. ↑ Prah, Pamela (March 9, 2007). "Massachusetts gov rated most powerful (archived)". Stateline.Org. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ↑ "Archives of Maryland Historical List Governors of Maryland, 1634--". Maryland State Archives. January 21, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Maryland : Past Governors Bios". National Governors Association. 2015. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Maryland Lieutenant Governors". Maryland State Archives. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  6. ↑ Dayhoff, Kevin (December 7, 2005). "Why We Have a Lieutenant Governor". The Tentacle. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  7. ↑ Papenfouse, Edward. The Archives of Maryland, new series, An Historical List of Public Officials of Maryland. Vol. I. Annapolis, MD: Maryland State Archives: 1990.
  8. ↑ Buchholz, Heinrich Ewald (1908). "Appendix B". Governors of Maryland: From the Revolution to the Year 1908 (Second ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Company.
  9. ↑ Shaum, Jack (May 21, 2006). "Two Maryland Governors were Queen Anne's natives". The Star Democrat. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  10. ↑ Smith, Herbert Charles; Willis, John T. (2012). "The Maryland Governor and the Executive Branch". Maryland Politics and Government: Democratic Dominance. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-3790-2.
  11. ↑ Clymer, Adam (August 30, 2015). "Marvin Mandel, Progressive Maryland Governor Convicted of Fraud, Dies at 95". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Blair Lee III (1916–1985)". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved September 13, 2017.